It’s where lying pays – family court.
Peter Szymonik, a constitutional and civil rights activist from Glastonbury, Connecticut, says his own experience more than a decade ago illustrates the problem. In this op-ed, Szymonik recalls how his ex-wife secured an emergency order while he was away with his sons on a court-approved vacation, and how a judge later described the claims as “at best, exaggerated.”
Curiously, the judge would not call it a lie.

By Peter Szymonik
Constitutional and Civil Rights Activist
I don’t often talk about my case, but John Conrad’s recent experience was nearly identical to the events I, my then fiancé, and my sons experienced.
Where my ex-wife endlessly harassed us while we took my sons on a Disney vacation – in part to give them a break away from all the court activity and stress my ex was constantly exposing them and us to.
Mind you, I was a custodial parent, and this was my sons’ court-ordered vacation time with us.
I told my ex-wife exactly where we were going, what hotel we would be staying at, when we were leaving and coming back, and how to contact our sons.
This culminated in my ex wife sending a barrage of texts and phone calls to the hotel we were staying at, warning us that she had contacted the FBI and they would be waiting to arrest me at the airport when we returned.
My attorney’s response was to tell me to turn my cell phone off. I contacted DCF, as they were involved in my case. They told me there was nothing to worry about and to try to enjoy my vacation with my sons.
While we were still on vacation, my ex-wife filed an emergency ex parte order, based on falsehoods and obvious lies, which her attorney refused to file for her. It was, of course, granted by Judge Holly Abery-Wetstone.
When we returned, the FBI wasn’t at the airport – but my attorney informed me that the judge had granted her ex parte, and I needed to immediately bring my sons to my ex, cutting their vacation short. It would be another two weeks or so before we had a hearing on the ex parte, and my sons were able to see me again.
Judge John Carbonneau wrote about the incident:
April 17, 2012 Ex Parte Restraining Order
Plaintiff filed an emergency ex parte application (#282) with the court on April 17, 2012, seeking immediate custody of the parties’ two sons with access restrictions placed on their father. Her allegations included: two days earlier, on Sunday, April 15, 2012, defendant texted her that he was leaving with the boys for Florida, from JFK Airport; she had no means to locate or communicate with her sons; she asserted that defendant had “a history” of failing to timely return the boys to her care; she implied that the Glastonbury Police and DCF were involved in a fruitless search for the boys and that there was a possibility that defendant had fled the country with the children.
As a result of Plaintiff’s sworn allegations, Judge Holly Abery-Wetstone granted the ex parte application. Her order directed plaintiff to use Connecticut and out-of-state authorities to regain custody of the children. She gave plaintiff sole custody and allowed defendant only professionally-supervised access at his sole expense.
A hearing on the ex parte application was scheduled for May 2, 2012, but the parties reached a written agreement (#286) that Judge Abery-Wetstone approved.
Plaintiff withdrew her application with prejudice. She agreed to provide defendant four days of “make-up” time with the children in the next thirty days starting with the following afternoon. The parties were to engage in co-parenting counseling and set up therapy for the boys.
The court finds this to be a shocking reversal. Plaintiff – under oath – implied in her ex parte application that defendant was a kidnapper who routinely ignored court orders. She gained the court’s approval and a huge custodial advantage over defendant. Mere days later, she agreed that he deserved make-up time with the children! The court reasonably infers from this dramatic turnabout that her allegations in the ex parte application were – at best – exaggerated.
What was the penalty for her committing perjury and false claims before the court?
Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Business as usual in the Hartford “family” court.
Instead, my sons and I were ordered to “get therapy”, costing thousands of dollars.

